Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies (Printable)

Soft buttery cookies infused with fresh lemon and dotted with nutty poppy seeds for a bright, zesty afternoon treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
05 - 2 tsp lemon zest
06 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
09 - 1/4 tsp salt
10 - 1 tbsp poppy seeds

→ Optional Lemon Glaze

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2-3 tbsp lemon juice

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Beat softened butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
03 - Mix in egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until well combined.
04 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds in a separate bowl.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
06 - Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
07 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
08 - Let cookies rest on pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies and allow to set.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The fresh lemon flavor wakes up your tastebuds without being too tart or overwhelming
  • These cookies stay soft for days, making them perfect for sharing or keeping all to yourself
  • The poppy seeds add just enough crunch to make each bite interesting
02 -
  • Overmixing the dough makes these cookies tough, so stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • Underbaked centers might seem soft when they come out, but they firm up perfectly as they cool
  • The glaze is worth the extra five minutes if you are serving these to guests
03 -
  • Chill the dough for 30 minutes if your kitchen is warm, which prevents the cookies from spreading too thin
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest to avoid getting any bitter white pith in your batter

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